Do you return shopping carts?

amother

Topaz

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 8:27 pm

Yes, of course. But I have to admit that I live in the middle of a big city, walk to the supermarket and carry my groceries home in a backpack or my own cart commonly known as a bubby cart. I'm only in suburban parking-lot supermarkets a few times a year. But when I am, I always return the cart to the designated area.

ray family

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 9:08 pm

Today I said something to a man who saw me waiting for a parking spot and just as the other person pulled out he put the wagon there 1/2 blocking the spot. Then he moved the wagon behind a woman’s car who just got in and was getting ready to pull out. I said something again, so he moved it to block someone else!
The wagons were literally across from him ( we were parked by the entrance)
I was so exasperated! Just put the wagon back where it belongs!!

amother

Poppy

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 9:13 pm

All you with babies I don't understand.. I keep my baby in the cart as I unload and as I wheel back to the cart place.. no need to to leave them in the car..
I also always try to park closest to the cart parking place

It's really rude imo to leave the cart and if there is a worker it's especially rude.. you are making his job way harder by not being a mentch

amother

Lemonlime

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 9:19 pm

amother Poppy wrote:

You can leave the baby in the cart if it's not raining or 10 degrees outside, but if the weather's not so nice...

You can leave the baby in the cart when it's just the baby, but what about when I also have my 2 year old and 4 year old with me? I can't have them wandering the parking lot while I unpack?

amother

Skyblue

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 9:35 pm

I usually try to.... For sure when I'm not with kids. When I have my kids with me and it's very far I don't always. If it's close I will. Otherwise my baby is heavy and I have to keep my hands on my other children so it's really hard....lots of times I just wait 2-3 minutes and hand it off to another shopper that's passing - they are usually happy not to have to get one themselves. Otherwise I leave it on the side, or in a row if there are several others, or in a spot I know others will likely take it. I would never leave it blocking a parking spot.

amother

Pink

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 9:35 pm

I voted it depends.

If there are cart returns in the parking lot like at Costco or Target or Walmart the I will absolutely return my cart.

The kosher supermarket I usually shop at has no such returns and there's nowhere to really bring carts back to. There are some unofficial spots in the lot where people tend to dump carts and employees come and collect them every so often. I always make sure to leave my cart in a way that won't block a spot or get in anyone's way or c"v hit a car.

amother

Maple

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 9:39 pm

amother Poppy wrote:

Agree! I don’t understand putting the baby in the car first. And what chinuch are you demonstrating to your children by leaving the cart in the lot for someone else to collect?

amother

Turquoise

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 9:51 pm

When I am shopping in a non-jewish store, I always do. generally there are a lot of cart stalls so its easy to return anyway.

the two jewish grocery stores, generally not. I'm usually there with two kids or more and one has no place to put them in the parking lot so you have to walk all the way back to the entrance. the other, has one or two places but they are also pretty much at the beginning of the parking spots and usually I only find spots much farther away. also, I just add it to the slew of carts already there.

and, I know this is nasty, but if you want to charge me $1.50 for cardboard box for shopping by you then I will leave my cart in the parking lot and you will need to pay your worker instead to put the cart back.
throw the tomatoes now.

amother

Natural

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 9:55 pm

I really make a point of always doing it. Even in the snow and rain and with kids.

I always feel bad for the worker that has to go around in the snow and rain and collect the carts. What an awful job. And I doubt he is being paid enough to make it worthwhile. I wouldn't wanna do that for $15 an hour (or likely less). Why should I make his job even harder?

amother

RosePink

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 9:59 pm

amother Turquoise wrote:

It's not just the store you're hurting. It's the other customers who can't park because you leave your cart there blocking parking spaces, or their car gets damaged because the cart you left rolls into their car.

amother

Yellow

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 10:13 pm

I always try to park near a cart return. I will return it in the rain or in the snow, in the cold or in the heat.

But if I can't find a space near a cart return and I have kids with me, I will not always return it. I will always move the cart out of the way so it isn't a danger to other cars or humans.

In theory I'd always bring it back, but babies and toddlers have a way of making my theories obsolete.

amother

Red

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 10:25 pm

I live OOT and my main kosher market is on a busy street with a tiny parking lot and lots of metered street parking in front.

When I park on the street at a meter, I don't usually return the cart, but I "park" it right next to the meter so it isn't blocking the sidewalk. I LOVE pulling up at a meter and having a cart to hold onto right away as I walk to the store.

When I shop at stores with parking lots and cart returns, I park near the cart return and return it there.

amother

Maple

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 10:27 pm

amother RosePink wrote:

Yes! There are so many times I have to park further away because all the close spots have shopping carts in them.

mom923

Tue, Feb 13 2024, 10:29 pm

I’m not understanding the Jewish store vs. non Jewish store distinction. Is it about making a kiddush HaShem?
In that case I would challenge… why are we more careful about making a kiddush HaShem and being respectful to others instead of within our own community?

Iymnok

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 2:39 am

Here in Israel you have to put a 5 shekel coin in the cart to unlock it. To get your money back, you have to put it away.
Tothise with kids, why can't you buckle them into their carseats then return the cart? Or with an older toddler, put the cart away and walk back holding his hand.
The vast majority of responses are "always, except...".
That's really not respectful. There are ways to juggle groceries and kids, don't be lazy. Loose carts can be dangerous. If there are inadequate return locations, complain multiple times to the management.

a2z

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 2:41 am

Iymnok wrote:

We have a store with new carts that take 10₪

amother

Yellow

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 3:48 am

Iymnok wrote:

Depending on how far I am parked from the cart return, I don't feel safe leaving my kids in the car unattended in a parking lot for that long. Maybe if I lived in Israel I would feel differently. That's why I almost always park right next to a cart return (except when there are no spaces available there).

I do always make the effort to ensure that the cart is out of everyone's way and won't roll into a car or block a space.

But I have a hard time prioritizing cart return over safety.